Howdy, We just had a Waterford Trinity Irish Stove (with a heat shield) and metal chimney installed this summer. The installers said it everything was done to legal standards but every "local know it all" that stops by say otherwise. We have a pre-fab hearth pad under the stove but no wall protection. As long as the wall clearances are in accordance with the regulations in the manual I assume it's okay. The locals also question the chimney. We went straight out the wall behind the stove and outside with one bend and then ran up & away from the side of the house. The top of the chimney is not higher than the peak of the house but it sits about 3/4 of the way down and about 10 or more feet away from a fairly steep slanted roof. What are the actual clearance requirements or is that up to the local fire dept. Could the locals not be up to date on the latest stoves & pipe and their new ability to be closer to flammables?

Answer:

Fist, let's talk about the stove. Most stoves today have reduced clearances to combustibles. These are clearly detailed in the manual and on the stove label. If the stove is installed to these clearances, then it is safe (as far as clearances). Now to the chimney - First of all, I assume it's class "a" metal insulated chimney with a "T" outside. The height of the chimney should be 2 feet higher than any other structure within 10 feet (level). So, if the chimney is 5 feet away from the peak, it must pass 2 feet higher than the peak. These are national codes, and are not controlled by locals. The chances of the locals being up to date are slim.